Six-party Talks on Burma Proposal Gets US Support

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By WAI MOE
Thursday, April 2, 2009


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The US is prepared to tackle the Burma issue by joining six-party talks along the lines of those held to discuss North Korea ’s nuclear program, according to a senior State Department official. Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg told the National Bureau of Asian Research think tank on Wednesday that the US wanted a “collaborative and constructive” approach on Burma , saying nations with sway over the junta should avoid “recreating a mini version of the Great Game.” Steinberg said: “Viewing relations with a notorious authoritarian regime like Burma as a zero-sum game is in no nation’s interest. We want to discuss a common approach with Asean [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations], with China , with India and with Japan to find a policy that will improve the lives of the people of Burma and promote stability in this key region.” The US was open to setting up new “flexible” frameworks similar to the six party talks on Pyongyang ’s nuclear program, Steinberg said. Some analysts are skeptical, however, pointing out that the six-party talks on North Korea had not halted Pyongyang ’s nuclear program. The talks brought together the US , China , Japan , Russia and the two Koreas . “I do not think it [six party talks on Burma] is a promising idea to resolve the issues, but it could be very useful in making sure that this is an issue that gets the global attention it deserves,” said Jeff Kingston, professor of Asian Studies at Temple University, Japan. Kingston said he was not optimistic that the US could forge a common strategy with Asia, given that its concerns about human rights and democracy are not shared by India , China and Asean. President Barrack Obama’s administration is conducting a review of US policy towards Burma .